Things that Change
by Kyrie
Summary: Kind of a bittersweet story. Marie finally moves on, and get's engaged to someone else. Will Logan let her do it? You'll have to read it!
1. Default Chapter

  
Disclaimer: hey, don't own any of this.  
  
Authors Note : I don't really know exactly where I'm going with this yet.. but I'm going. I wanna thank Kaye, and Wendy for being so, supportive. You guys are great.  
  
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~~~~~~" I hate being seventeen." Marie said with a sigh.  
  
" why is that?" Logan asked gruffly.  
  
" I don't know, I just do." she replied.  
  
Logan gazed up at her from his branch, which was just below hers. She was gazing up at the clouds from the massive, strong willow tree that they had discovered just off the campus of Xaviers school. Her long Auburn hair blew wildly in the wind, and the light from the sunset added a soft glow that outlined her face. she looked so innocent, wise, and completely beautiful.   
  
" I wouldn't worry. You won't be seventeen forever." he said reassuringly. The thought hit him. He couldn't imagine her being not seventeen. He didn't want her to every be anything other than what she was now, sweet, young, naive, seventeen.   
  
She smiled down at him with admiration. That's how he would always remember her. ~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
  
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Three Years Later  
  
  
It was summer. Logan loved the summer. He loved the scent of summer, and the fact that every summer night, just before sunset, he would meet Marie in thier tree, and they would spend time together. He secretly looked forward to it every day, just talking to her, made him feel more complete. The way she never judged him, never pushed him, never expected to much from him. She simply understood him.   
  
Logan climbed up to his branch, lit up a cigarette, and waited for her to get there. He worrried about her. Last night, she had never showed up. He had an uneasy feeling in his chest, She couldn't have forgotten to meet him. He thought of all the possibilities, maybe she was sick, maybe she was too busy, too tired, upset.   
No, not her. she was never sick, never too busy or too tired for him. If she were upset, she would tell him. He was sure of it.  
  
Marie stopped at the bottom of the towering willow tree, and looked up at Logan. She remebered the first time they had met in the tree. She remebered how she would get nervous every time she was around him, and how she would blush everytime he caught her staring at him. It was obvious to everyone, that she had had a crush on him. after a few months, that crush had grown into an intense longing, which had led to being absolutely in love with him, which had developed into a complex, deep, understanding friendship. She noticed that Logan had become much easier to talk to over the past three years, and she felt that she knew him more than anyone.  
  
" Hey there sugar. sorry I'm late." she shouted up at him.  
  
" why were you gone last night?" he asked.  
  
  
" I was busy." she answered flatly.  
  
Logan studied her curiously. She was lying he could tell. She had a clear expression of guilt on her face, that she tried to cover by being nonchalant. but there was something else. He could smell it, she looked different. It was the was she stood, the way she walked.   
  
" you're lying. what's wrong." he demanded. " you look different."  
  
Marie looked away from him sullenly.  
  
" Look Logan, I'm tired. I need to go." she said.  
  
Logan watched her walk away in confusion.  
  
  
  
  



	2. Seventeen

  
  
  
" what's wrong with her?" Logan asked Ororo, as she sat on her bedroom floor, practicing one of her meditation exercises.  
  
" with who?" she asked, concentrating on the stick of insence burning in front of her.  
  
" Rogue."   
  
" there's nothing 'wrong' with her." she replied grinning up at him s if she knew something.  
  
" The hell there isn't. Something happened, I know it. Everyone knows what it is except for me." he said angrily.  
  
" trust me Logan, it's nothing bad. I wouldn't worry if I were you. That girl has a lot to worry about, without having you on her case all the time. Just let it go ok?" she said.  
  
" whatever." Logan muttered grimly. He tried to take her advice. It wasn't working. He still had a nagging voice in his head, telling him something was wrong.  
  
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Throughout the next few months, things changed. Logan and Marie's coveted willow tree meeting had thinned down from every night, to a few times a month. If he was lucky. Logan tried to stay out of her business, and act as if her being away so much didn't bother him, but inside, he couldn't stop thinking about it. It was killing him. She was rarely even at the Mansion, and her best friends, Kitty and Jubilee, refused to tell him where she was, despite his most intimidating threats.  
  
  
One October night, just as the sun was setting, Logan climbed far up the willow tree, this time to the branch that Marie had usually sat in. He watched as the red and brown colored leaves blew softly in the wind. He remebered Marie, three years ago, on a night much like this one.  
  
~~~~~~ " Logan, do you think I'll ever get away from this, do you think I'll ever just be normal, with a family, and little house with a picket fence, and a flower garden, and a minivan." she asked with her sweet southern accent, and a far away look in her eyes.   
  
  
" I don't know kid." he replied thoughtfully. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
  
  
" Logan!!" Marie shouted up at him excitedly, causing Logan to jump out of his memories, and look down at her with confusion.   
  
" what is it?!" he asked, it had been so long since he had talked to her. He wondered what the excitement was about.   
  
" I have something really important to ask of you!" she said smiling joyfully.  
  
The radiance of her smile brought a small smile to his usually scowling face. He loved to see her happy.  
  
" Name it, I'm there." he said.  
  
Marie raised her left hand in front of his face. There was a band around her index finger, with a very large diamond on it. Logan simply stared at it, puzzled.  
  
" Will you give me away?" she asked gleefully.  
  
The smile drained from logans face, and an expression of pure shock, and hurt replaced it.  
  
" what's wrong?" Marie asked in worry.  
  
Logans eyes scanned the rest of her body. He noticed that her once girlish body, had developed into a more mature, grown up, womanly sexy figure. He realized that the time she had spent away the past few months had been with another man. He realized that although her large, brown eyes still held a deep sense of innocence, they appeared much much more knowledgable, and much less naive. And for the first time since he had met her, she no longer seemed seventeen.  
  
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Finished for now! what do you think! should I continue! please write a review and tell me what you think! if you don't like it I'll stop. If you do I'll continue. that simple. :) thanks for reading it! ~kyrie  
  
  
  
  



	3. The way things were

  
  
'~ No no no no no~' Logan thought to himself. Unsure of what to say, he stared at her, unable to hide his stunned expression.  
  
" what's wrong?" Marie asked in confusion, " I mean, I know it's a little unexpected, but I..."   
  
" hey, Marie, no don't worry about it, of course I will, I'm... so happy for you." he stuttered, flashing her a sad little smile.   
  
Marie laughed softly, and threw her arms around him happily, hugging him tightly. " thanks Logan so much, you have no idea how much this means to me!" she said, leaning her head on his shoulder.  
  
Logan squeezed his eyes shut, and held her tightly, breathing in her sweet scent, not wanting to let her go. When she pulled away from him after a few moments, a sense of longing filled his chest. He felt he needed to be close to her.   
  
Logan smiled, and swallowed back the grief that threatened to overwhelm him.   
" So who's the lucky guy, that you've been trying to hard to steer clear of me?" he asked bitterly.  
  
" Logan, it's not like that, it's just that, you and Remy are a lot different and I know that you don't like him..." Marie stammered.  
  
Logan looked at her in bewilderment. Remy? Logan felt a surge of anger rising up his throat, he absolutely HATED that guy. How could she do this? he tried to hold back his rage by clenching his fists together tightly, but it wasn't helping.   
  
" What! NO! Marie, no, you CANNOT be serious! I told you...." he yelled.  
  
" See Logan! this exactly why I didn't tell you before! I knew this would happen." she said, her eyes welling up with tears.  
  
" Maybe, you would have been better off not telling me." he muttered.   
  
Marie shook her head at him in fury.  
  
" Logan, you're my best friend, and I really was hoping you would just be happy for me. Remy makes me happy, and I'm going to marry him." she stated matter of factly.  
  
Logan flinched as her statement sunk in. '~why couldn't 'I' make you happy?~' he thought to himself.   
  
" we're having an engagement party tomorrow in the ballroom . I would really like it if you could be there." she concluded, before turning her back on him abruptly, and running angrily back to the mansion.  
He wanted to run after her, to wrap his arms around her and tell her how much he loved her, but he knew it was too late.  
  
Logan sighed hopelessly, and leaned back against the trunk of the willow tree.   
  
If anyone deserved to be happy, it was Marie. but why, did it have to be Remy? Anyone, would have been better than that guy.   
  
Logan growled at the thought of Marie going home every night to that sleazy scum bag, a sick feeling settled in his stomach as he imagined Remy's slimy hands on her soft, deadly skin.   
  
He slammed back a shot from his flask of cheap whisky, and made his way to the bar. It was going to be a long night.   
  
  
  
  
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" don't worry about Logan, he loves you, and he'll get over it, eventually." said Ororo, passing a quart if ice cream over to a very flusterred looking Marie.  
  
" She's right, and you have NO reason to be upset tonight, you just got engaged! you should be ecstatic." Jean added, putting her arm over Marie's shoulders supportively.   
  
Marie managed a small smile. " Thanks guys, I really appreciate it. it's just Logan, he... he... ugggh,I don't know, he makes me sooo mad!" she said, running her fingers through her hair in frustration.  
  
" oooohhhh, Rouge! Look at this one!" Jubliee chimed in excitement. she was sitting on Marie's bed, flipping through a catalog of wedding and bridesmaid dresses.   
  
" It's beautiful Jubes, but have you seen one you haven't liked yet?" Kitty laughed.  
  
" well sorry! I've never been a 'Maid of Honor' before!" Jubilee grinned haughtily.  
  
Kitty sulked and tossed a pillow at her.   
  
Jean and Ororo chuckled softly at thier immaturity.  
  
" This wedding is going to be so much fun!" Jean said in excitement. " I'm so happy for you Rouge, you and Remy make the sweetest couple."   
  
" yeah, where is Remy by the way?" Ororo asked curiously.  
  
" I don't know, he mentioned he had some meeting with the professor out of town." marie replied with a shrug.  
  
" that's strange, the proffesor hadn't mentioned it." Jean said.  
  
" hmmm." Marie said thoughtfully.  
  
There was a moment of awkward silence between the four of them.  
  
" I really like the coloring of this dress." Jubilee announced to intterupt the silence.  
  
" yeah me too." said Kitty.  
  
Marie blocked out the chatter of the four women as they rambled excitedly on about wedding details.  
  
She thought about Logan. was it wrong for her to marry Remy? Even if they both knew that she would rather be with Logan? even if Logan had no desire to be with her? Earlier that night, when she had hugged Logan, she had almost felt as if he wanted her. ' ~ no Marie, you just want him to want you.~' said the tiny, skeptical voice in the back of her head.   
  
Marie remebered the first summer Logan had come back.  
  
  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~ It was warm, though late at night, and the stars shined brightly in the sky. Marie and Logan sat up in the highest branches of the willow tree, gazing up at the stars, as Marie leaned against Logans shoulder, trying her hardest not to fall asleep, wanting to stay forever in this blissful moment.  
  
" Logan?" she murmered.  
  
" yeah." he replied sleepily.  
  
" I love you."  
  
Logan smiled. " I love you too kid."  
  
Marie sighed and shook her head ." no Logan, not just like ' I love you.' I'm In love with you." she replied, holding her breath in anticipation of his reaction.   
  
Logan hesitated.   
  
" you shouldn't say that marie." he said. He sounded upset.  
  
" why, it's the truth, I thought I should tell you...."   
  
" no, no you shouldn't of. You're only seventeen. You have a crush on me. You don't know how to be in love with some one. Trust me. "   
  
Marie turned away from Logan as her eyes blurred with tears. She felt her heart tighten in her chest. She needed to get away from him.  
  
" Marie!" Logan yelled a frantic warning down at her as she jumped with little effort out of the 20ft high branch she had been sitting on , and landed smoothly to the ground on her feet, losing no speed as she ran gracefully back to the mansion. It always amazed him how she could do things like that.  
  
She could hear the deep quick pace of her heart beating in her chest, until the sound throbbed almost painfully in her ears, but she didn't stop running. She ran and ran, the wind whipping against her face, the tears streaming down her face, but she couldn't stop running, not until she had reached the safety of her room, and locked herself in. She didn't come out for three days. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
  
Marie squeezed her eyes shut tight as a tear threatened to escape them. She remembered that night as if it were yesterday.  
  
'~God damn him~' She thought to herself. He had made her feel like some foolish, boy crazy twelve year old. He still managed to make her stupid most of the time, though she never admitted it.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	4. The way things are

  
Logan felt a wave of misery sweep over him as he stepped into the loud, smokey bar. The very familiar smell of vomit, cheap perfume, and cigarettes filled his nose. He walked over to the same bar stool that he always sat in when something was bothering him, and slumped down into it in exaustion.   
  
" The usual." he shouted grimly at the bartender.  
  
" Bad night buddy?" asked the bartender in a friendly voice as he poured Logan's drink.  
  
Logan simply scowled at him in reply.  
  
Logan thought about Marie. As much as it bothered him to admit it, she deserved it. She deserved to be married, and happy. If anyone deserved to be happy it was her. But is that what she really wanted? To be married, and tied down to that, that cajun asshole? Logan cringed at the thought of Remy and Marie together. Remy walking her down the aisle. Remy kissing her soft lips, Remy making love to Marie.   
Logan quickly slammed back the small glass of hard liquor, and and pounded it violently down on the bar in front of him, hoping the alchohol would help get Marie off his mind. It didn't. It was going to take a whole lot more of these to do the trick.  
Logan raised his glass up to the bartender. " can I get two more of these?" he asked.  
  
" sure." said the bartender.  
  
  
After six or seven more drinks, ( he had now lost count), Logan's vision began to get blurry. Logans sense of misery, had faded into one of anger, and lonliness.  
  
Logan noticed the smell of cheap perfume getting stronger, and almost over bearing, as a thin, redhead in her early thrties and a tight red dress, with sharp facial features and large breasts came and sat down in the bar stool next to him, and leaned close to him seductively.  
  
" hey there darlin' whatcha doin?" she asked. She had a thick, Texan accent.  
  
" gettin ready to go home." he replied blankly, stumbling out of his seat.  
  
" Want some company?" she asked pouting out her thin lips that were covered in bright red lip stick.  
  
" Do I know you?" he asked in confusion,his vision getting more blurry.  
  
" well, I dono, what's your name darlin'? "  
  
" Logan."  
  
" Nice to meet you logan," she said, wrapping her arm around his, " the names Brenda. See, Ya know me now." she said, smiling at him devilishly.   
  
Logans first instinct was to turn her down , and go home before things got out of hand. But then afrer giving it a bit more thought, '~Had Marie turned Remy down when he made his trashy moves on her? ~'   
  
" sure, why the hell not then?" he said, grinning at Brenda, and guiding her out of the bar.  
  
  
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" It's getting late, maybe it would be better if we all left, and let rogue get some sleep." Ororo offered, glancing with worry at Marie's dazed expression.  
  
" yeah, it has been a long day." Jean agreed.  
  
" yeah it has been." Marie stated. " Thanks a bunch guys." she said as Ororo, Jean, Kitty, and Jubilee left her bedroom, still chattering away about the wedding. They were all very happy about getting to be bridesmaids. Marie wished that she could be excited as they were. But she wasn't. As hard as she tried to be happy, she had a sense of dread and nervousness in the pit of her stomache, telling her that she had made a mistake by excepting Remy's proposal.  
  
'~ Don't be stupid Rogue," Marie thought to herself, '~ Remy is perfect. He treats you like a queen, and he loves you. don't blow this for yourself on some stupid notion, that Logan will fall hopelessly in love with you, and carry you off into the sunset.~'  
  
Marie climbed into bed. Even though she was more tired than she could ever remember being, she could not sleep. She tossed and turned for a few hours , before giving up. She couldn't stop thinking about what had happened earlier that night. She could not stop thinking about Logan. She needed to talk to him, and put things right between them. She wouldn't be able to sleep until she did.  
She climbed drowsily back out of bed, and tiptoed down the hall, careful not to wake anyone else.  
  
she turned the doorknob to Logans bedroom slowly, and quietly, not wanting a repeat of what had happened the last time she tried to wake him up.   
  
" Logan I..." she paused in mid sentence. Her eyes widened in shock as she they met with the dark, beady eyes of the redhead who was lying in bed next to Logan.  
  
" Marie!" Logan said in horror, as he saw her standing in the door way, looking as if she had just been hit by a bus.  
  
Marie shook her head at him in anger and astonishment, she was unable to hold back the tears forming in her eyes.  
  
" Marie, no.... wait I ..... "   
  
Marie watched as he fumbled for an explanation, until the realization came to her, that he didn't need one. Why should he have to explain to her? He was binded to her in no way. He owed her nothing,  
  
" No Logan. Don't say a word. I'm sorry for barging in. I'll knock next time." Marie said flatly, with little emotion showing in her voice. She turned away from them slowly, and shut the door softly.  
  
She had a familiar feeling in her chest. She felt she needed to get away from him. tears streamed down her face as she ran back to her room. The action , running back to her room after Logan had broken her heart, seemed natural, for she had done it now three times.   
  
She swore to herself, that she would never do it again.   
  
  
  
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End of Chapter Four! Thanks for reading it! Whatcha think so far? please write a review and let me know! I will try to post the next chapter as soon as I can. If you have any ideas that would be great! thanks! ~ kyrie  
  
  



	5. unrealized realizations

" I heard that your little Rogue has marriage plans."   
  
Hank sat accross from Xavier at the plastic little chess table in his carefully put together prison cell. He focused on the on the chess pieces in front of him, and casually moved his only reemaining black knight.   
  
" How do you 'hear' things from in here Hank?" the proffesor asked suspicously.  
  
" I have my sources." he awnsered flatly.  
  
" oh I'm sure you do."  
  
Xavier cocked his eyebrows at Hank in curiosity. the two of them had been playing chess, every tuesday for an hour for the passed two years now, and they had hardly ever spoken a word to eachother. Xavier wondered what the sudden interest in Rogue was about. " checkmate." he announced.  
  
"so?" Asked magneto impatiently.  
  
" So, what?" replied the proffesor.  
  
" what do you think of this whole, Rogue getting married thing?"  
  
" well... I'm Actually kind of worried about the whole situation to tell you the truth."  
  
" why is that?"   
  
" why do you care?" he asked in confusion.  
  
" Because I do." he replied indifferently.  
  
" well she's very young. I fear she is rushing into things. I fear that her fiance is not to be trusted. There are other reasons, I care not to discuss."  
  
Hank nodded. " ok." he said.  
  
" Is that all?"   
  
" yes."   
  
" I take it I won't be invited to the wedding."  
  
" I doubt it. Her engagement party is tonight actually, I must be going to get ready soon."  
  
" I doubt she gets married at all." He said, as if he knew something that no one else knew.  
  
" what makes you so sure?" questioned the proffesor ,intrigued.  
  
" I have my reasons."  
  
" I'm sure you do."   
  
  
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Marie gazed at herself in the full length mirror in front of her. Her hair was piled on top of her head in curls. She wore a floor length white silk gown, with sleeves that fell lightly off her shoulders. The dress fell open at the back, and had a slit in the side that went all the way up to her thigh.  
  
" I look like a grownup." she said to herself in amazement. She hardly recognized herself under all of the makeup. She glanced around the room at the many vases of long stem red roses Remy had sent her. He had sent her a dozen of them every morning for the past two weeks he had been away. Sometimes she wondered if he sent them simply because he wanted to, or maybe he felt guilty about something.  
  
Marie jumped , startled as she heard a knock at her bedroom door.  
  
" Come in." she said.  
  
" Rogue, darling, you look absolutely beautiful."  
  
" oh, Remy, I didn't think you'd be home so early!" she said.  
  
" well, I thought I'd suprise you. aren't you glad to see me?" he asked, grinning profusely.  
  
" uh, yes, yes, of course I am." she said.  
  
" ok, I believe you." he said, looking at her inquisically. " Is anything wrong."  
  
" no, no nothing, You look nice... I like the tux. oh! I've got a suprise for you!" she said in excitement.  
  
" Ok....." he said in confusion.  
  
Marie took a deep breath and stepped close to him.  
  
" ready?" she asked.  
  
" yeah, I think so." he said uncertainly.  
  
She slowly, carefully wrapped her arms around his shoulders, and pressed her chest against his. She sqeezed her eyes shut in concentration, pulled his head towards her own, and kissed him passionatly, squarly on his lips. Her arms began trembling, and she pulled away from him slowly.  
  
" suprise." she whispered, breathing heavily.  
  
Remy wrapped his arms around her waist, leaned his forhead against hers, and peered into her eyes in complete bafflement.  
  
" um... wow." he muttered. " how did you do that?"  
  
Marie smiled at him blissfully . " Actually I've been working with Jean and the proffesor a lot on how to control my powers lately. We made some progress while you were away. I wanted to suprise you. Are you happy?"  
  
" oh honey of course I am!" he said hugging her tightly.  
  
" I mean, I can't control them completely, and right now, I can only touch for a few moments at a time, but it is possible. I'll probably be able to have total control in a few months."  
  
" oh Rogue, I'm so proud of you. This couldn't have happened at a better time."   
  
" well, we're gonna be late if we don't leave now." said Marie, turning to grab her purse of the table.   
  
" um, Rogue?" asked Remy, in an irritated tone.  
  
" what?" she asked questioningly.  
  
" don't you think you should take those off?" he said, pointing at the dog tags she wore around her neck. " they really don't go well with that dress."   
  
" oh." she said, turning to look at the dog tags in the mirror, and peering at them unconfidently. " I guess I should." she said carefully taking them off and placing them in her jewelry box. For some reason, she felt different without them. She felt, less safe.  
  
" ok, let's go." she said.   
  
  
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" ..... and congratulations, too the both of you." Scott concluded , raising is champagne glass and toasting it to Marie and Remy.   
  
" Thank you Scott, that was really nice." Marie said after the applause had died down.   
  
" hey, of course. It was nothing." he said, flashing her a cheerful grin, that some people who didn't know is as well as she did, would mistake for cockiness.  
  
" um, has anyone seen Logan? I wasn't sure if he was coming or not." Marie said inquisitively.  
  
" I haven't. He'll probably show. He always does. Eventually." Scott said assuringly.  
  
" Thanks." Marie smiled at him.  
  
" where's Remy by the way? he was just here."   
  
Marie swallowed back the rest of her champagne, and pointed out to the dance floor where Remy was dancing very closely with a young, attractive blonde woman, that Rogue didn't know.  
  
Scott glanced curiously over at Remy, and then shook his head in annoyance.  
  
" I'm sorry Rogue, he really shouldn't be acting like that."   
  
" well, you can't blame the guy for wanting to have a little bit of fun. He obviously can't have to much of it with me." she muttered bitterly.  
  
" Rogue! don't say that! You are one of the greates women I know. Besides, I happen to know that you are terrific dancer. I know that he's bothering you. You really should talk to him about it. Just, don't sell yourself short ok?"   
  
Marie sighed in annoyance and grabbed another glass of wine from the table next to them, drinking it down quickly., and turning her back to Remy and the young blonde.  
  
" So do you really think I'm selling my self short with Remy, Scott?" she asked, with a hint of sadness in her voice.   
  
" no, maybe, I don't know. Look, Rogue, you're one of my best friends, and we all know that Remy doesn't have the best reputation when it comes to women. I know your still young, and I just don't want to see you..."  
  
" What Scott! get hurt? Well I don't need you to tell me what to do, do you not trust me?! I am a grown up now Scott, I can make my own desicions." she yelled at him defensively.  
  
Scott looked at her in concern, taken of guard by her sudden anger." Look, Marie, I'm sorry. I know you'll make the right desicions. You always have in the past. but maybe you should lighten up a little on the drinking for tonight. You may be getting married in two weeks, but your're still a light weight." he said jokingy.   
  
" I'm going for a walk." Marie stated abruptly, stomping angrily out of the ball room.   
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	6. In The Dark

  
  
  
Logan walked slowly into the large banquet room where Rogue was suppose to be having her engagement party. He felt the need to appologize to her, but he was unsure of what he was going to say.   
  
He felt out of place as he glanced around the room at all of the clean cut, wholesome looking young men in tuxedos, he had thought about renting one, but then decided not to after stepping one foot into one of those sissy ass suit shops.   
  
  
He quickly scanned the room for Marie, but he could only pick up her scent lightly, and he guessed she had gone elsewhere.   
  
" Logan!" Scott shouted, waving him over two where he was standing.  
  
" hey there one eye. Seen Rogue?" he asked.  
  
" yeah, actually I did earlier, she seemed upset about.... uh, something, and she just left a few minutes ago. She probably just needed a few minutes too cool off. You know how high tempered she is." he said.  
  
" yeah, only too well." he grinned, but still he had a feeling there was something wrong. He felt a surge of anger rise in his chest as he turned to see Remy, sitting next to a young blonde, with his arms around her shoulders, whispering something into her ear, that seemed to be funny, because the blondes high pitched giggles seemed to fill the room.  
  
Logan rapidly, stalked over to Remys table and pushed him hard on the shoulders, knocking him out of his chair. Logan kneed Remy squarely in the stomache, sending a chorus of suprised, and frightened chaotic screams throughout the ballroom.  
  
" You fucking sleazy ass bastard!" Logan cursed at him in an outrage lifting him up by the shoulders and pinning him to the wall, raising his fist close to Remy's face threateningly.  
  
Remy breathed heavily, the wind had been knocked out of him by Logans unexcpected blow. He coughed out a small, laugh, and looked Logan in the eye menacingly.  
  
" What are you going to do Logan? kill me?" he laughed. What would that accomplish? It would just prove what a cowardlly asshole you are. Rogue loves me. Maybe not as much as she loves you, but she loves me. I make her happy. You could never make her happy and you know it. You could never commit to her, you could never have a family. Your just jealous, and you want her all to yourself. " He spat out angrily.  
  
" Shut up!" Logan screamed at him violenly.  
  
Remy laughed , his breathing becoming more steady. " you don't love her. If you really loved her , you'd let her go, you'd let her be happy. with me." he stated firmly.  
  
Logan looked away from Remy in fury, and released his grip on him, turning away grimly and storming out of the ballroom.  
  
  
  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
  
Logan could already tell she was there as he approached the towering oak tree. He could tell that she had been drinking a lot by her scent, and that she had been crying.   
  
  
He gazed up at he from the ground in awe of her beauty. She leaned against the high branch of the tree in exaustion, staring up at the stars. Her hair had come loose , and hung around her shoulders in unorganized strands.   
Her eyes were still as wide as the day he had met her, and seemed to be marveling at the brilliance of the night sky.  
  
He quickly hopped up the tree, and sat next to her on her branch. She didn't seem to notice he was there.  
  
" thought I might find you here." he announced softly.  
  
" Hey Logan. You thought right." she replied, taking another drink from the bottle of expensive wine she gripped in her hand, never releasing her steady gaze from the stars.  
  
They sat side by side in silence for almost a half an hour, Logan placed his arm protectively around her shoulders.   
  
Marie turned her head slowly towards Logan, and studied his face. His eyes stood out in the darkness, but the rest of his features were softened and outlined in the moonlight, making him appear younger, and less tough.  
" Logan Ah'm drunk." she announced, her southern accent was more prounounced in her intoxication.  
  
" I noticed." he replied bluntly.  
  
Marie laughed derangedly at his reply.  
  
" Logan?" she asked, suddenly becoming more serious. " tell me not to marry Remy. Tell me I'm making a big mistake, and that I shouldn't marry him. Tell me that you love me and you want me to leave him, and I will. I will leave him tonight. Just say the word, and I won't do it. I swear to god Logan I won't marry him." she said in a melancholy tone.  
  
She closed her eyes and leaned her head against his shoulder, waiting for him to awnser her, too tired to keep her head up on her own.  
  
Logan swallowed in despair, trying to deside what to say. He wanted to tell her he loved her, he wanted to tell her not to marry Remy, but that would be too easy. He recalled Remy's words from earlier. ' ~ If you really loved her, you would let her go.~' The words echoed in Logans mind,and he knew what he had to do.  
  
" No Marie. You should marry Remy. You deserve the house, with the family and the white picket fence, and the little flower garden, with the minivan." He nodded, trying to convince himself what he was saying the right thing, even as tears threatened to escape his eyes.   
  
" Logan?" she whispered.   
  
" what?" he asked, still trying to control his despair.  
  
" Can we have a motorcycle instead of a minivan?" she whispered groggily, before passing out against Logan's rigid form.  
  
Logan looked at her in confision, before gathering her into his arms, to take her back to her room.   
'~ soon to be Remy's room~' he thought to himself bitterly, as he carried her back to the mansion in the moonlight.   
  
________________________________________________________________________________________  
  
  
  
To Be Continued. Stay tuned for the next two chapters will be the last. I am holding a vote for who y'all want Rogue to end up with, because some of you beautiful reviewers are rooting for Remy, and some for Logan. So please review, and whoever gets the most supporters, Rogue will end up with at the end. sorry for the typos, this was not beta'd. :)  
  
~ kyrie   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



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